LeRoy: 'Hounds have trouble keeping up with Arkansas pitching

Published 3:57 pm, Sunday, April 12, 2015

The good news is that the Security Bank Ballpark grounds crew got to try out their new tarp.

The bad news is that they had to use it just four games into the 2015 season.

However, before the clouds darkened and the rain started coming down in buckets, the Arkansas Travelers got the pitching and the big hits they needed to beat the Midland RockHounds, 2-1, in a 5 ?-inning, rain-shortened game on Sunday.

It was the start of a three-game series between the teams, and at least in the small sample we got to see on Sunday, the Travelers showed why they are 4-0 to begin the Texas League season.

Arkansas starter Alan Busenitz set the tone in the game with his outing. The 23-year-old right-hander retired the first eight batters he faced and he did not allow a hit until the fourth inning.

Busenitz only threw 67 pitches through his five innings of work. Just like every year at this time in minor league baseball, pitchers are on pitch counts that range from about 45 to 65 pitches.

Regardless, Busenitz, who only allowed one run on three hits, did his job on a cloudy, and eventually rainy, Sunday.

The only run the RockHounds got came in the fifth inning when Carson Blair hit a two-out double to right-center and then scored on a Chad Oberacker single.

The bottom of the RockHounds’ order accounted for two or the team’s hits in this shortened game as the top four hitters in the order went a combined 2-for-10.

Arkansas backed Busenitz with single runs in the second and fourth innings. The biggest hit, and eventually deciding run of the game, came in the fourth when Kentrail Davis drilled a Jake Sanchez pitch over the left field wall for the 2-0 advantage.

Sanchez had an OK outing for his Double-A debut as he went 4 2/3 innings and allowed the two runs on six hits, with two walks and three strikeouts.

The 25-year-old old righty also only threw 45 pitches in his first start of the season, so he will likely get plenty of more chances to improve from this game.

Still, the RockHounds had a chance to at least tie the game when Colin Walsh led off the sixth with a double and Matt Olson, with his massive power and pop with the bat, on deck.

But, Mother Nature brought nice downpour to end the game and the new tarp was put to good use.

Follow Oscar on Twitter: @OLeRoy_MRT

TRAVELERS 2, ROCKHOUNDS 1, 5 1/2 INNINGS

At Security Bank Ballpark

TOP HITTERS: Arkansas’ Kentrail Davis and Wade Hinkle each went 2-for-3 on the day. Davis connected for his second home run in as many days while Hinkle added a double.

TOP PITCHER: Arkansas righty Alan Busenitz allowed just one run on three hits, one walk and three strikeouts for his first win of the season.

HIGHLIGHTS: Davis’ homer in the fourth gave the Travelers just enough to win this game as the RockHounds look to be threatening in the sixth. … There was a delay of 50 minutes before the came was called a final.

NOTES: Former RockHound D’Arby Myers returned to Midland as a member of the Travelers. Myers was a RockHound from 2013-14 and helped Midland to the Texas League championship last season and had a 33-game hitting streak in 2013.